Report: Uninsured Rate for TX Kids Under Age 6 is a Big Problem
A new report from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families underscores that Texas has a huge problem with failing to provide health coverage to children under age six.
The report shows that the Texas uninsured rate for kids under age six (8.3 percent) is much higher than the national average (4.3 percent) and much higher than the rate in our neighboring states, such as New Mexico (4.4 percent).
The report also shows that the uninsured rate for Texas kids under age six is getting worse. In 2016, 8.3 percent of Texas kids under age six were uninsured, compared to 7.3 percent in 2016. A total of 198,014 Texas children under age 6 were uninsured in 2018, a 13.2 percent increase since 2016.
We already knew that Texas had a big and growing problem with its uninsured rate for all kids.
But this news about our littlest kids is particularly concerning in light of how important early childhood is. We know that the first few years of children's lives provide the foundation for the rest of their lives. That’s why Texas legislators and advocates worked so hard to pass funding for full-day pre-k. But health insurance is also key to making sure little kids start off with a healthy and strong foundation. Regular check-ups are key for spotting developmental challenges early and connecting kids to the life-changing therapies available through Early Childhood Intervention (ECI). And research shows that health challenges are a major reason that kids miss school.
It’s important to remember that the uninsured rate is a problem for Texas kids from all backgrounds and communities because it is largely a result of state policy. For children of all ages in Texas, the children’s uninsured rates for White (non-Hispanic), Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American children are all higher than the national children's uninsured rate.
Reducing the uninsured rate must be a top priority next session. The Legislature passed zero bills last session to reduce the uninsured rate, but we're glad to see that Lt. Gov. Patrick and Speaker Bonnen have both used their interim charges to direct legislative committees to study ways to reduce the uninsured rate.
We are eager for Texas leaders to tell us their plans for reducing the uninsured rate.
In the meantime, here are a few ways that Legislature could reduce the children's uninsured rate:
Restore the state’s outreach and application assistance efforts to connect more eligible children to health coverage.
Reduce the extra red tape in children’s Medicaid that leads to children cycling on and off of insurance.
Accept federal Medicaid expansion funding to cover uninsured low-wage workers, which has reduced the children's uninsured rate in other states.
We look forward to working with legislators and our partners to reduce the uninsured rate next session!